Atomizers



s. M. CROCE A TOMIZERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, 1954 fi :1. l.

/ IN VEN TOR. BM c@ ATTO/@N57 July 17, 1956 s. M. cRocE 2,755,131

AToMlzERs Filed May 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Uited tes ATOMIZERS Santy M. Croce, Hauppauge, N. Y., assigner toY Coty, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation; of Delaware This invention relates to atomizers.

Iny the form shown, the atomizer of the instant inven. tion is very simply incorporated or combined with a cap for a perfume bottle. Thus, the pre-assembled cap and atomizer structure is simultaneously placed upon the iilledY bottle to complete the unit.

The atomizer of the instant invention includes a deformable bulb which produces. a jet of' air in the usual manner when squeezed; Perfume is thereby drawn up by Venturi action. The bulb. is made integral with valve apparatus which may be actuatedy to either open or closed position, This is etfected by rotation ofthe bulb about its own axis', the valve structure being thereb;l actuated to either the open or closed position. The atomizer structure is extremely simple and conveniently used inasmuch as the user need only rotate the bulb to either position, the atomizer providing indicia indicating such desired position. f

Specifically, the valve structure assumes eccentric form, rotation of the bulb causing the wider portion of the eccentric to close olf the atomizer passages while the .narrower part maintains such passages open and responsive to. pressure of the bulb. A

The invention will be further understood from the following description and drawings in which: l

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional View of a combined perfume bottle cap and atomizer as applied to a perfume bottle (broken away in the drawing), the atomizer being in the open position;

Figure 2 isa view similar to Figure l with the atomizer inV closed position;

Figurel 3*v is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line 4 4 of Figure 1; p

Figure 5V isa cross-sectionalV view as' taken along.I the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional-view as taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 1; and

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line 7-7 of Figure l.

The sealing and atomizing unit referred to collectively as 1 is applied to a bottle 2 containing perfume. The bottle 2 has a threaded neck which is engaged by the cap insert or liner 3, said liner 3` being press fitted into metallic o uter cap or shell 4. The cap is also provided with a cushion disc 5 may or may not be integraliwith liner 3.

Cap 4 and disc 5 are formed with a central opening 6. Stem or plug 7 is generally circular in cross-sectionA and extends through opening 6. Stem 7 is maintained in fric,- tional engagement with the walls ofthe bottle neck by means of a soft rubber or plastic ring 8 which litsu into a groove atY thelower end of stern 7. Ring 8 is normally roundin cross-section but it is attened somewhat when in position as illustrated.

Stem '7i is formed with an elongated. ventrassa-ge 9 atent Patented `Italy 17, 1956 ICC .9.. as well as an elongated perfume dispensing passage 10. Passage 10. continuesinto lower, tubular projection 1l around which is disposed a wick 12, said wick being of a length to reach the bottom of the perfume bottle as.- is conventional.

The top face of stem 7 is centrally cut away to form a depressed seat for resilient pad 1-3. Pad' 13 may be of soft rubber or plastic or the like. It is formed with a pair of openings 1.4; and 15 which a-re inalignmentv with passages 9 and 1-0. Openings 14 and 15" are separated' by a central section 17 which is substantially circular in cross-section. Likewise, the peripheral edges 18- and 19 of pad 13 are likewise substantially circular in crosss'ection. The top face of stem 7` is further formedwith two vertical, opposite, upstanding arms 20 and 21 which effect firm` frictional contact with the atomizrer head as willV be explained hereinafter; arms 20 and 21 is a post 22 which is integral with the topA endof stem- 7-. Post 22Y isV terminated at its, upper end 23 in a semi-circular concave seat for the valve structure as will hereinafter be explained.

Thel atomizerv valve structure 25 is shown as being integral with the deformable bulb 26. Both may be of a suitable plastic material suchY as polyethylene or nylon. The wall of bulb 26 is thin, being in the order of .050" so that it' is exible and deformable. However, the valve struct-ure and particularlyl the eccentric portion 27 thereof isv about' three or four times this thickness so that it may exerta pressure as will' be hereinafter explained without becoming deformed itself.

Valve 25l is formed with a longitudinal openingV 28 which communicates with the opening of bulb 26 and hasa mouth 29 communicating with the outside atmosphere; Thevalve comprisesl an elongated body formed in part from a thin, concave-convex Wall 30, and the opposite, thicker, eccentric wall or portion 27. Longitudinal opening 2 8 is so disposed as to render said walls thick or thin as described.

Centrally of the valve elongated body is formed a, disc portion 31 which, being uniformly round, extends outwardly of the thinner wall 3.0 as illustrated in Figures l and 2. Rearwardly of such disc portion 31, toward the bulb end of the valve body, the thinner wall 30 is enlarged at its sides as illustrated in Figure 4 but anopening 32 is nevertheless provided, suchropening serving as a vent exit passage which communicates with the vent passage 9 in the open position of the valve illustrated in Figure 1'.

The periphery of` disc portion 31 is providedV at two opposite points thereof with indicia to indicate the open or closed positions' of the valve. Thus insert 33 in the eccentric wall portion 27 may bear the notation Opern while insert 34 may bear the notation closed Such notations will be visible from an opening in the head as will be hereinafter described.v

Head 39 houses the rotatable valve body and is press tted over stem 7 including the arms 20 and 21 thereof. The head is formed with an outlet opening 4t? which communicates with valve body opening 2S and passage 10 in the open position so as to provide the perfume dispensing through Venturi action. The opposite end of; the head 39 is formedv with an opening in the form of an arch which receives the valve4 body through the top end 41' whichy is semi-circular and concave. When the atomizer is inthe open` position, as illustrated in Figure l, the concave topk end 41 engages a substantially annular notch in the valve body, such notch being inter,- rupted by the vent exit passage 32 which is then functioning to provide venting action. However, whenV the atomizer is in the closed position, as illustrated inV Figure 2 the vent exit passage 32y is removed from com- 3 munication with vent passage 9 and such passage 9 is closed by the eccentric portion 27. It will be observed that the valve body is supported at the rear end of the cap 4 between the concave cut-out 41 and the concave top 23 of post 22 as illustrated in Figure 7.

Head 39 is also provided on its top face with an opening 42 to provide visual access to the inserts 33 and 34 for indicating either the open or closed position of the atomizer.

The operation of the atomizer may be briefly described as follows:

The assembled atomizer unit comprising the stem 7, ring 8, pad 13, valve structure 25 and head 39 is inserted through the opening 6 into the neck of the bottle where it is frictionally retained by the ring 8.

In order to turn the atomizer to the closed position, the bulb 26 is rotated so that the eccentric portion 27 of the valve body bears firmly against the resilient pad 13 and closes the openings 14 and 15 thereof. Accordingly, dispensing passage 10 is closed off from outlet 40 and vent passage 9 is likewise closed off so as to prevent evaporation of the bottle contents. At the same time, the insert 34 is visible through the opening 42 and indicates that the atomizer is closed. The assembled and filled bottle may then be packaged and shipped as desired.

When the ultimate user desires to employ the atomizer, the bulb 26 is rotated on its own axis thus shifting the eccentric portion 27 upwardly, away from the Openings 14 and 15 so as to uncover them and establish respective communication with the outlet 40 and the vent exit passage. It will be noted that the disc 31 bears against the pad spacing between the openings 14 and 15 and thus maintains the proper horizontal position of the valve as illustrated in Figure l. By the rotating action, vent exit passage 32 which is rotatable with the valve body is brought into communication with vent passage 9. At the same time, insert 33 is rendered visible through opening 42 so as to indicate the open position of the atomizer.

If any high pressure has been built up on the bottle it will be immediately vented olf through vent exit passage 32 when the atomizer is turned to the open position. This will prevent a burst of perfume in the face of the user. The user will then squeeze bulb 26 as is customary and the perfume will be drawn up through a passage 10 and sprayed outwardly in a conventional manner.

What is claimed is:

l. An atomizer for dispensing liquid from a bottle having a neck, said atomizer comprising a stem having a dispensing passage formed therethrough adapted to communicate with the liquid in the bottle through said neck, means provided with an outlet opening, said passage having a mouth adapted to communicate with said opening, and a rotatable valve member positioned to close and open said passage in alternative positions of said valve member, said valve member being mounted for rotating action adjacent said stern and having an eccentric portion which approaches the mouth of said passage as the valve member is rotated and closes the mouth of said passage from communication with said opening, said valve member being spaced from said mouth when said eccentric portion is rotated from its closing position so as to uncover said mouth.

2. An atomizer according to claim 1 and wherein said valve member is formed with a longitudinal opening therethrough having a mouth which communicates with said stem dispensing passage mouth when said eccentric portion is in a position where it uncovers said dispensing passage mouth.

3. An atomizer according to claim 2 and including a deformable bulb structure integral with said valve member.

4. An atomizer according to claim 3 and including a resilient pad disposed between said valve member and the top face of said stem, said pad being seated against said top face and said valve member bearing against said pad, said stem member being formed with a vent pas- 5 sage therethrough and said pad being formed with a pair of spaced openings respectively communicating with the two passages of said stem.

5. An atomizer according to claim 4 and including a central disc portion formed on said valve member and rotatable therewith, said disc portion bearing against said pad at a central portion thereof between its two said openings.

6. An atomizer according to claim 5 and including a resilient ring disposed in an annular groove formed in said stern and adapted to effect frictional contact with the inner wall of said bottle neck.

7. An atomizer according to claim 5 and including two sets of indicia formed on respectively opposite sides of said disc portion, a head enclosing a major portion of said valve member and embracing said stem, said head being formed with an upper opening through which either of said indicia is respectively visible, said indicia servmg to indicate either the open or closed positions of said valve member.

8. An atomizer according to claim 7 and wherein said valve member is formed with a vent exit passage which rotates with the valve member, said vent exit passage bemg brought into communication with said vent passage of said stem when said eccentric portion of said valve member is rotated to a position where it uncovers said stem vent passage.

9. An atomizer according to claim 8 and including a post on said stem member, said post having a concave upper face, said head having an end wall provided with an opposing concave face, said valve member being enclosed within said two concave faces and rotatable therebetween.

10. An atomizer for dispensing liquid from a bottle, said atomizer comprising a stem having a dispensing passage formed vertically therethrough, said dispensing passage having a bottom inlet opening adapted to communicate with the interior of the bottle, the upper, outlet opening being adapted to dispense liquid from the bottle, a rotatable valve body positioned above said dispensing passage, said valve body being rotatable substantially around its axis to one position where it closes said outlet opening and to another position where it uncovers said outlet opening for dispensing action, and a deformable bulb extending axially from and integral with said valve body whereby rotation of said deformable bulb on its own axis rotates said valve body to either of its said positions.

1l. An atomizer according to claim l0 and wherein said valve body is eccentric in transverse cross-section, the eccentric side thereof being operative to close said outlet opening and the opposite side thereof being narrower and operative to uncover said outlet opening.

12. An atomizer according to claim 11 and wherein said opposite, narrower side is formed with a vent exit passage, said stem having a vent passage formed therethrough which communicates with said vent exit passage when said opposite narrower side uncovers said outlet opening.

13. An atomizer according to claim 12 and including a resilient pad interposed between the top face of said stern and said valve body, said pad being formed with a pair of openings therethrough which respectively communicate with said dispensing passage and said vent passage.

14. An atomizer for dispensing liquid from a bottle having a neck, said atomizer comprising a stern having a pair of parallel passages formed vertically therethrough and adapted to communicate with the interior of the bottle through its said neck, one of said passages being a liquid dispensing passage and the other passage being a vent passage, a head provided with an outlet opening and embracing said stem, said dispensing passage having a mouth adapted to communicate with said head outlet opening, and said vent passage having a mouth adapted to communicate with the outside atmosphere, a rotatable valve body disposed in said head and positioned above said stem, said body being eccentric in transverse crosssection and being rotatable substantially around its axis to one position Where the eccentric side thereof closes the mouth of said dispensing passage opening as well as the mouth of said vent passage and to another position where it uncovers both of said mouths, said valve body having a longitudinal opening formed horizontally therethrough which communicates with said head outlet opening, the valve body side opposite said eccentric side being 15 2275666 formed with a vent exit passage adapted to communicate with said vent passage of said stem when said mouths are uncovered by said valve body, a resilient pad interposed between said valve body and the top face of said stem, said resilient pad having two openings formed therethrough communicating with both of said stem passages respectively, and a deformable bulb extending axially from and integral with said valve body and rotatable therewith whereby rotation of said deformable bulb on its own axis rotates said valve body to either of its said positions.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,887,383 Vuillemenot Nov. 8, 1932 2,086,626 Lohse July 13, 1937 Wilson Mar. 14, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 482,843 Great Britain Apr. 6, 1938 

